Recycle Bikes – How to Donate Your Bike

If you look at your bike as a whole, they exist several different materials that go into your journey.

Of course, there’s the frame, which is made from a metal, or a mix of metals carbon fiber. Then there may be different metals that make up chainringsgears, shifter, seat posts and other parts. Wheels could be made of composite material or a single material, and saddles can be anything from a soft, petroleum-based textile to leather.

“It’s resource- and carbon-intensive to bring bikes into the world, so we must do everything we can to reduce the greenhouse gases emitted by these products,” says Nate Pelczar, an avid cyclist and special projects manager at the California Product Stewardship Councila non-profit environmental organization that works with private and public entities to find better end-of-life solutions for all types of consumer goods.

Unfortunately, due to poor local infrastructure, bikes and bike parts often end up in landfills could give the rides a second life or find suitable recycling options. While most urban areas are still developing schemes to properly care for bikes that are no longer needed, a little research can help ensure at least some parts make it through the product waste cycle responsibly.

Always, always try to find a second life for the bike

Whether you’ve outgrown your bike, decided to upgrade it, or just don’t need it anymore, the first and best option is to find someone who enjoys your bike. (And hey, the The used bike market is still booming. Why not get something out of your former favorite bike when it still has some life left for someone else who might want it?)

There are a number of bike-specific thrift and charity shops across the country – i.e. Goodwill – that will take your bike, no matter the shape, and remove parts to either help assemble a new bike or complete another project. A quick Google search – try something like “bike donation near me” – will help you find one near you.

“The goal from our point of view is to always try to find a way to reuse the product first,” says Pelczar.

As with most products, the more something is used, the smaller its physical footprint over time, which also reduces carbon emissions. It’s also a nice way to help someone find the joys of cycling who may not have access to, or be unable to purchase, a safe bike. If you don’t know where to start with a donation or resale option in your community, you can always ask your local bike shop or other members of your cycling community.

It’s time to disassemble

If you’re thinking of recycling your bike, you need to do this take it apart or take it with you someone who knows how to break up what is potentially recyclable and what is not.

The most common types of bikes destined for the landfill are economy units, sold primarily in large department stores, and are typically full of cheap parts that don’t last long.

While that’s a separate conversation, it’s still possible to recycle some of the plastics and low-grade metals used. It’s best to check with your local garbage disposal company to get an idea of ​​what they take. You’d be surprised how much can actually be recycled at commercial facilities, well beyond what we see at the curb.

Rubber recycling

Depending on the composition of the bicycle tires, rubber is relatively recyclable. In some cases, they are even taken by donation-based arts and crafts organizations and used in ways other than bicycles.

As the desire for products with more recycled materials increases, the use of recycled rubber is one way companies are trying to meet this demand.

The same goes for tubes. There are many opportunities reuse tubes instead of just throwing them away.

A note on carbon fiber

Although carbon fiber is an excellent material for bicycle components, it is incredibly difficult to recycle. (Although there are some newer thermoplastic technologies that might help.)

There is currently no scalable technology to separate all of the individual materials incorporated into carbon fibers, and often there is significant waste during the production process of something made out of carbon fiber.

The existing recycling options are energy and labor intensive and often have outgassing consequences. Pelczar also points out that grinding carbon fiber puts a dangerous dust in the air for those doing the work.

It’s hard to argue with the sleek looks and performance of carbon fiber, but for a large number of riders, a quality metal-framed bike, whether aluminum or steel, is a very suitable option with a much smaller footprint.

Bike manufacturers and other companies in particular still have a long way to go to close the loop of bike production, but without a doubt the best option remains to keep existing bikes riding as long as possible.